The Green Bay Packers did something they hadn’t done in 16 years with their first pick in the 2022 NFL draft: select an off-ball linebacker.
Quay Walker became the first inside linebacker since AJ Hawk to get selected by the Packers in the first round. Hawk was a fifth overall pick while Walker was 22nd, but hopefully, the former Georgia Bulldog will be even more successful.
Green Bay wants their linebackers to be long and fast, exactly what Walker is. He is 6-4, 240 pounds and ran a 4.52 at the scouting combine. His size and speed compare favorably to De’Vondre Campbell, who just signed a deal worth $50 million to remain a Packer for the next five seasons. Green Bay is hoping two athletic inside linebackers will allow their defense to be even more tenacious.
In four seasons at Georgia, Walker only started a season and a half. He sat behind a loaded linebacker group during his first two years before seeing an increased role as a junior. Last season, Walker started all 15 games for one of the best defenses in the nation, finishing with 65 tackles, along with 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 25 QB pressures, and three pass breakups.
Walker is a lot like Campbell in that he can impact the game in a variety of ways. Campbell was extremely disruptive in 2021, which led to his first All-Pro selection. Following Campbell’s breakout season and a resurgence to the Packers’ linebacking corps, the hope is that Walker will bring a similar skillset while fortifying the position for seasons to come.
To get a better idea of what Green Bay saw in Walker, we are going to dive into some of his film from his junior and senior seasons. By the end, we will know what Walker brings to the table and what he needs to work on to live up to his first-round hype.
Let’s begin.
Strengths
First, let’s talk about two of Walker’s best traits: range and tackling. Walker is a true sideline to sideline linebacker that rarely misses tackles. Pro Football Focus tallied only seven…
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